STRINGSCALES

D mystery #1 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F#, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

A string: Bb, C, D, Eb, F#, Ab at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11

D string: D, Eb, F#, Ab, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

G string: Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, F# at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11

B string: C, D, Eb, F#, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11

High E string: F#, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

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D mystery #1

The mystery #1 scale is a six note synthetic set: root, flat 2nd, major 3rd, flat 5th, flat 6th, flat 7th. From the 3rd upward it walks in whole steps, so it behaves like a whole tone scale that has been given a dark flat 2nd doorstep. The name comes from scale catalogues rather than tradition; treat it as raw material for atmospheric, unresolved lines.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

D

I

E♭

bII

F♯

III

A♭

bV

B♭

bVI

C

bVII

mystery #1 in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • A whole tone scale with a dark doorstep: enter on b2 (Eb), then glide in whole steps from III to bVII (C).
  • Use it over a D7b9#5 vamp; the b2 (Eb) is the b9, the b6 (Bb) the #5 (A#), and the whole tone upper half supplies the rest.
  • The name comes from scale catalogues, not tradition: treat it as raw material for atmosphere and sound design.
  • Alternate it with the plain whole tone scale to reveal the single half step; that contrast is its identity.

How to play D mystery #1 on guitar

Open D is the one open string this key allows, and it happens to be the root, so a drone under everything costs nothing. No other string rings in the scale, which means fretted playing carries the rest. Fretted roots climb from fret 3 on the B string to fret 5 on the A string and fret 7 on the G string. Box one runs out at fret 14.

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